Same Old Story but Wrong Timing

Eritrean National Service Member  (Photo Credit: Sirak Bahlbi)

Same Old Story but Wrong Timing 

By Jemal Idris A. 

Same Old Story but Wrong Timing Some stories get outdated the very day they are written, especially when they lack research and genuine outlook. It’s a new era, let’s give the World what we know for sure.

For the past two decades, Eritrea has been a rest soul of flamboyant allegations not based on evidence but a distant outlook of interlopers who desire to sell their story. And after a deserving peace deal with Ethiopia in 2018, the grounds for such devious tales gave way to an optimistic atmosphere where people and governments started sharing cultures and experiences in harmony. Nevertheless, its naïve to think that, the flow of underhanded information, which aims in distorting the image of the country, to stop immediately – not even when the rest of the world don't want it anymore. As part of such blemish race, on 15th January 2020, Ethiopia-Insight published an article entitled “No peace for Eritrea’s long-suffering female conscripts”, where the Ethiopian author argues the current condition of gender equality and the hopelessness of women's abuse by Military officers in Eritrea. Deeply based in the quest of reverberating a dying tune, the piece lacks any scientific data beside analytical depth. Not to mention it contradicts its own argument attesting its significant irrelevance at all.

First, the author fails to tell the difference between ethnic groups and tribes- which is basic socio-political dimension of organization, and so the portraits are labeled as “the nine tribes of Eritrea”. Just for the wise and humble reader who seek information, Eritrea doesn't have so called “the nine tribes of Eritrea”. Furthermore, while hailing Eritrea's struggle for independence on its efforts on gender equality, the piece soon quote that it wasn't quit free of sexual abuse – which indeed confuses a modest reader who has no idea about the intentions of the writer. In attempt of defaming Eritrea, the writer brings about every repeatedly sang and considered unpleasant aspect (some of which has no relation at all) in one box. Sexual abuse, gender role, migration, national service, Sawa secondary school, suicides that took place in Europe and anti-government movement all in one, sounds like same old story of labeling Eritrea all evil but sadly in a wrong time when the world has started looking forward and the reality in ground.

In short, the writer and the article are clearly lacking substance beside understanding the social, economic and political situation in Eritrea. And in such circumstances it's scholarly advised that, writers do deep research when writing from distance because it doesn't just diminish the writer but also the credibility of the platform.

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Jemal Idris A. is a freelance writer, you can contact him at Jidris192@gmail.com

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